Your car’s windshield is an important safety device. Not only does it keep the wind and rain out of your eyes while driving, it provides a barrier against flying debris that could pose a danger to passengers. But because auto glass is subjected to a number of forces, it must be specially manufactured to prevent glass shards from injuring passengers in the event of a collision.

Below, Ashlock Glass, a family business that provides auto glass replacement and auto glass repairs in Clarkson, KY, explains the different types of glass that are used in cars.

Types Of Glass Used In Cars

Obsolete Forms

The first windshields w ere simply made of regular window glass. While these windshields protected drivers from wind and rain, they posed a huge danger during collisions. Henry Ford began using laminated glass in 1919 to solve this problem, and by 1929, every new Ford vehicle was outfitted with laminated glass windshields.

Laminated Glass

Laminated glass consists of two thinner layers of glass bonded together with a transparent layer of plastic called polyvinyl butyral. The plastic creates a durable, shatterproof layer, which holds the glass together to keep it from shattering in most impacts. Because of this, a broken windshield often cracks in a web formation while still remaining intact.

Tempered Glass

Car windows aside from the windshield can also be made of laminated glass, but are more frequently made from regular tempered glass. This glass is manufactured under very tightly controlled conditions to ensure strength and durability. Tempered glass also tends to break into relatively harmless, dull, pebble-shaped pieces instead of dangerous, razor-sharp shards.

Because of the special characteristics of these two types of glass, a glass repair specialist can often perform a windshield repair on smaller cracks in lieu of a full auto glass replacement.

In the event of an accident, you have the right to choose your auto glass repair company. For the most dependable glass repair or replacement services in Grayson County, KY, turn to Clarkson’s Ashlock Glass, your local source for quality auto glass service. The technicians at Ashlock Glass use only safe OEM replacement glass and always adhere to recommended safe drive away times in order to ensure that neither you nor your passengers are placed in danger by faulty auto glass. Visit their website to find out more about their auto glass repair services, or simply call (270) 242-0451 to schedule an appointment today.